Seriously Worried +donation

May 1, 2006

First off I understand you cannot answer all questions due to volume.

I had sex with a pro 3 weeks ago, Vaginal and oral ( both with a condom). I went to the doctor(dermatologis) a week later beause I was itching and had some acne like bumps on my thigh. He said it was Folloculitis. I later that day went to an md and told her my story and she ran the tests for hiv-1 and a few other stds. All came back neg. I now have several light pink spots over my body that itch like crazy. I am so worried and have not been able to do any work, or stop thinking about it . I WILL MAKE A DONATION IN THE SUM of 100 to your foundation. Please doctor I am so worried, I cannot continue with my life these days and I Know I have to wait till sept. to get definitive results, but I don't know how I'm going to make it. I am 21 years old and am worrying myself to hell. I am having diareah aswell. I understand the stats. but is there anything I can do right now? Are these pinkish itchy spots something to really worry about?
This has been the biggest mistake in my life, please doctor I need your help......

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hello 21-Year-Old Worrier,

I don't believe you really "understand the stats," so let's review! You used a condom for both oral and vaginal sex with a pro three weeks ago. Assuming the latex condom was used properly and did not fail, your risk of contracting HIV would be nonexistent. HIV cannot permeate intact latex. No way. No how. Therefore, if you really understand this statistic, I see absolutely no reason why you are "worrying yourself to hell!"

What can you do right now? Believe the stats and stop worrying. If you can't control your fears, irrational as they may be, you'll need to seek psychological help, so that you can understand, confront and conquer these unwarranted anxieties!

As always, if you feel you've placed yourself at risk for HIV, the testing option is always open to you. A single HIV-antibody test at the three-month mark would give you a definitive and conclusive result. Based on what you've told me, that result will be unquestionably negative.

Are the pinkish itchy spots something to worry about? No, certainly not from an HIV perspective.

Finally, if one episode of "protected" sex is the biggest mistake of your life, all I can say is that you are making far fewer and much less serious mistakes than the rest of us.

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